Securing Seminar and Conference Equipment in an Unknown Environment

by Michael Godek on Tuesday, March 25 0:56

Securing Seminar and Conference Equipment in an Unknown Environment, written by Michael Godek.

When moving or hosting a seminar or conference, knowing your surroundings is critical to protect your equipment from theft and damage. Securing Seminar and Conference Equipment in an Unknown Environment is critical. Entering an unknown setting can be overwhelming if the proper planning hasn't been set forth. Awareness is a major component for securing your IT equipment. Most seminars and conference relocation s are held at hotels or convention centers. When moving a seminar, securing all equipment is important especially during the off-hours.

Having a dedicated vendor of professionals during a seminar and conference is a great advantage. Find a vendor who will blend and remain proactive with your team, all the while understanding how to keep your companies IT equipment secure. The IT equipment has a face value but the software and data on the equipment has a higher value. There are many ways individuals can steal IT equipment. Plans and protocols need to be in place and executed if a situation should arise.

CHECK ALL:

Doors: Electronic locks and fully closed doors need to be checked during a perimeter sweep of the seminar or conference setting in order to secure all equipment. Check all doors to make sure none of them are propped open with door stops or any other materials. Other doors might have inverted eye holes to look through. Nothing that a bit of shielding won t fix! An alarmed security system with a video camera and motions sensors are recommended to be placed at any point of entry. Don t forget to check for public, back doors, and employee doors.

Keys: Check all master keys and any override keys. Keep them with your personnel only, and or project manager. Be aware that some of the hotel and convention center staff will have these keys, such as maintenance and other staff services.

Tables: Hotels and convention centers will provide table clothes to drape over the table. Check underneath the tables for any misplaced or staged equipment that is hidden from view. Typically, external or internal employees will hide and place them underneath to retrieve them at a later time.

Hallways: Keep clear in order to prevent any possible diversions from presenting themselves in the future. Cluttered hallways will attract other items to be placed there for storage. Staff hallways that lead to your seminar doors should also be double checked.

Trash: The hotel or convention center hospitality services should clean and empty all trash in the production areas of the seminar. They should remove all trash and other items located next to the IT equipment. Open cans, cups, and other items with liquid in them can be hazardous if it is spilled on the equipment.

Surveillance: Who is watching you and who is listening to you? Keep an eye out for any unwanted spectators observing the equipment. Report any red flags to security or higher personnel. After hours or during clean up sessions are typically when any internal or external theft will occur.

Restrooms: Restroom stalls are the perfect place for thieves to hide in a public facility, such as a hotel. If restrooms are located within the seminar parameters, they need to be checked and locked.

Management: Check with hotel or convention center management and inform them what is in your seminar for equipment. In return, they should inform you if any ballrooms or portion of the seminar needs to be broken down during any period of time that your even is being held for other outside events, which could potentially be a security issue.

Security measures need to be taken in order to keep your IT equipment safe. Loss prevention and asset protection are major components to take into consideration when conducting a seminar or conference. Even if the equipment doesn t stay in the ballrooms or convention center floors, they will be placed in a secured and dedicated storage area assigned only to you. Be aware and be secure,take the proper steps in order to make a successful seminar and conference IT relocation possible!